“Not bad. Made up a little for a damned run of bad luck,” he said. He turned and looked at me. “And I see the young lady hasn’t done badly for herself either.”

I realized I had to seize this moment. What I had seen of Sir Toby did not make getting to know him an attractive proposition. He had shown himself to be dangerous as well as aggressive. And I could well believe that he had walked out of Buckingham Palace with the queen’s snuffbox in his pocket. But I had already lost one of the queen’s prized possessions tonight. I owed it to her to fulfill my promise and recover another one. I plucked up courage. It was now or never. “Oh, just call it beginner’s luck,” I said, trying to sound keen and girlish. “It was my first time playing roulette. But you’re Sir Toby Groper, aren’t you? I’m staying at the villa next to yours. I look down with envy on your lovely swimming pool.”

“I keep it at eighty-four degrees,” he said. “Like a bath. You must come and swim in it sometime.”

“Really? Do you mean that? I say, thanks awfully,” I replied. “It’s very kind of you.”

“Not at all. A young lady like yourself will enhance the scene for me.” He paused, regarding me rather unpleasantly. “So you’re staying with the famous Claire Daniels, are you? What do you think of her? Everyone talks about her great sex appeal but I don’t see it myself. Looking her age, I’d say.” He leaned closer to me. “So tell me, is there still a man in the picture? That German fellow? Haven’t seen him around.”

“He’s at home in Germany, working,” I said, “but she remains devoted to him.”

“Can’t see why, myself,” he said. “The man is a boor, a bloody great boor. But I must say she has good taste in guests. What is your name, little lady?”

“My friends call me Georgie,” I replied coyly, I hoped. I didn’t think it was the occasion to reveal my full identity, since he’d just trashed my mother and stolen from my royal kin.

“Well, then, Miss Georgie, I hope you’ll come down and swim in my pool one day soon. And maybe we could go for a spin on my yacht.”

“Could we really? I adore yachts.” I wasn’t sure if I was overdoing it.

“Then it’s settled,” he said. “Come over and I’ll take you out on the yacht tomorrow. Come anytime you like. I’ll have the crew standing by.”

“That’s so kind of you, Sir Toby,” I said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Not at all. Delighted to help out. See you tomorrow then.”